Frank Conversations
by SacrificedAlice
Summary: Hisagi just wanted a quiet drink with Renji, but things go wrong when Byakuya turns up.


"I'm going to retire for the night. Please finish those papers, and then you are dismissed."

"Yes, Captain. Have a nice evening."

"And yourself. Goodnight."

Renji didn't look up from his paperwork as he heard the Captain sweep out of the office. He felt the formidable reiatsu fade, and let out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. The atmosphere in the 6th Squad compound had been exceptionally tense of late. A month or so after Aizen's betrayal, Seireitei was gradually putting itself back together, and beginning to rebuild what was destroyed. The Captain and Renji had long since mended their injuries, and were starting to work on their differences, but still the air was heavy enough to push them into clinging to the formalities that befit their respective ranks. If they were to be going to war soon, a good working relationship was necessary, Renji knew that, but nevertheless, it was a strain on them both.

With a sigh, Renji downed tools and leant back in his chair. Surveying the mound of papers before him, he quickly resigned himself to the fact that he would be here for several more hours. It was a shame; Matsumoto was having a party tonight, and he'd agreed to meet Shuuhei at the 9th Squad barracks for pre-drinks, but Renji supposed he'd better let Shuuhei know he wouldn't be able to make it. Begrudgingly, he summoned a Hell Butterfly and gave it his message.

"Captain's got me doing tons of paperwork, so I won't be able to make the pre-drink. I may see you at the party if I ever finish this lot."

Renji watched the butterfly fly away, and then returned to his work. Ten or fifteen (or twenty) signatures later, it returned, landing softly on the desk.

"I'm not feeling up to one of Matsumoto's parties tonight anyway. How about a quiet drink in your office?"

"Sounds like a plan," Renji replied. He sat back down at his desk and waited for Shuuhei to arrive.

Shuuhei awoke with a start as a butterfly landed on his ear. He hadn't meant to fall asleep. Standing up from his desk, he signed off the last of the day's paperwork, checked his hair, and headed out the door. He hadn't slept well last night, or the night before, so he was grateful to Renji for letting him out of going to Matsumoto's do. Normally, he'd be up for it, but since Ichimaru left, she'd had a faraway look in her eyes that Shuuhei didn't know how to handle, and with the application of sake, she'd begun to seek a kind of comfort from him that he felt he had no right to give her. At any rate, tonight was not a night that he felt like being slavered over.

Soon, Shuuhei reached the 6th Squad main office. The door was already slightly ajar, so he simply went in, sliding it shut behind him. Looking across the room, he realised that Renji hadn't noticed him yet. A hand wandered to his hip, grasping Kazeshini's hilt and pulling him out of his obi. He placed Kazeshini down carefully beside Zabimaru. That was another thing that had changed since Tousen left; he never went anywhere without his Zanpakuto.

Shuuhei cleared his throat, and from the other side of the room there came an almighty crash as a startled Renji all but jumped out of his skin, spilling ink all over the desk.

"Shit!"

"Working hard?"

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit! Fuck! The Captain's gonna kill me! Shit!"

Shuuhei chuckled quietly at the steady stream of curses uttered by his friend. Watching Renji panic and try to clear up all the ink at once was pretty funny, and Shuuhei idly wondered how he'd ever come to owe his life to this man.

"Dammit, Shuuhei, why'd you have to startle me like that?! You shouldn't sneak up on a guy, it's uncalled for."

"Not my fault you were so busy working that you didn't notice my reiatsu. Would you like me to greet you like this next time?" Shuuhei concentrated his reiatsu, channelling it into a single space, and used it to lightly prod the side of Renji's head. He couldn't quite push people to the floor yet like the Captain-Commander could, but he could do enough to irritate his friend.

"Ow, ow, okay, I get it, stop that already! God, you're such a creep."

"No way did that hurt, and why am I a creep?"

"You'll find any excuse to touch me; you're like some kind of paedophile."

"I'm not that much older than you!"

"So you're not denying that you wanna touch me?"

"Just shut up and get me a drink."

"And then I was like 'Ichigo did it!', and then Rukia was like 'It must've been him," and then Ichigo was like 'It wasn't me, I was running away from Kenpachi!'"

Shuuhei smiled as Renji's laughter filled the room. He had been hoping for a quiet drink, but it seemed that in lieu of being able to go to the party, Renji had decided that the party should come to him. Shuuhei himself was still relatively sober, preferring to listen to his friend's drunken ramblings. He grabbed the bottle of sake with intent to pour Renji's tenth drink before finishing his third, but when he tipped said bottle, he found it to be empty.

"Renji, we're out."

"Ah, damn!"

"I guess we'll have to call it a night, then."

"Don't be stupid! It's early! Hang on, I know the Captain keeps a bottle in his desk drawer, we can just drink that."

"Is that wise?"

"He's loaded; he won't miss it."

"I guess not."

"Huh, this stuff looks good."

Returning to where they were sat, Renji clumsily refilled the glasses. Renji knocked his back like water, whereas Shuuhei elected to sip slowly and watch Renji make a fool of himself.

"And just what do you think you're doing?"

This time it was not only Renji who jumped. Shuuhei turned around to see Captain Kuchiki standing in the doorway of the office. Glancing back at his friend, Renji suddenly seemed a little more sober and a whole lot more terrified.

"I noticed your reiatsu was still in the office, and came to tell you to stop working for the night, and this is what I find? Abarai, go home, sober up, and if you're so much as five minutes late tomorrow morning, you'll be looking for a new squad. If you're early, I may even be so shocked that I forget to ask how you learned to pick locks whilst drunk."

"Yes, Sir!"

Looking guilty, Renji pulled himself to his feet and staggered out of the room. There was a thud as he didn't make the turn in time to avoid the opposite wall, and then his reiatsu faded as he put as much distance as possible between himself and Captain Kuchiki. Shuuhei pursed his lips. Renji was going to have a terrible headache in the morning.

"As for you, Vice-Captain, you're not in my squad so I have no authority to punish you, but do you think that this excessive drinking is any way for someone of your rank to behave?"

"With respect, Sir, Captain Kyoraku does this all the time."

Shuuhei mentally slapped himself. If Captain Kuchiki hadn't already been about to kill him, he certainly was now. But, instead, he just gave a wry smile.

"You may have a point. I see that you are not as inebriated as Abarai."

"I was merely looking forward to a quiet drink after work, Sir. Besides, I enjoy fine sake for its flavour, not its potency."

Kuchiki nodded. "A fine sentiment, perhaps one you should impart to my Vice-Captain."

"If there's one thing that Captain Tou- that the Thirteen Court Guard Squads taught me, it was self-restraint."

"I see we have similar views. Well, since it's been opened, this sake must be drunk. Such an excellent vintage cannot be allowed to go off. Would you care to join me?"

"When you put it like that, how can I refuse?"

This elicited a chuckle from Kuchiki, and they sat down, Shuuhei assuming his previous cross-legged position on the floor, with Kuchiki kneeling rather more gracefully opposite.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, Kuchiki drinking with his eyes closed, Shuuhei nervously watching him. As serene as he appeared, Shuuhei was all too aware that Captain Kuchiki was notoriously hard to read, and was afraid of some further retribution. Time passed, and none came.

"How are you keeping? Your new duties are keeping you busy, I trust?"

"It's been difficult, yeah, but I try my best for the squad. Don't really have time to dwell on things, you know?"

"Understandable. The way yourself, Kira and Hinamori have carried on is admirable. I think the other Captains half expected you to fall apart."

"I'll be alright. I haven't lost as much as they have. Tousen and I didn't have the same kind of relationship as those two have with Aizen and Ichimaru. It's harder for them to forget."

"Whatever those men did, they helped make you what you are. It would be unwise to forget them entirely."

"You're probably right. It's just hard to take. I feel that every major event in my life has all been according to their plan. The night Kensei saved me, the night my friends died, everything. All those things that drive me and it was just a game to them."

Shuuhei paused as he felt his fists clenching. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply. The sake was making his head light, and he was talking – and feeling – far more freely the emotions that he'd been suppressing for so long.

"Your friends… the field training disaster that happened whilst Rukia was at the Academy? I'm sorry, I had not realised you were involved."

"It was my two friends who were killed by the Hollow. That was how Renji and I met. He, Momo and Izuru saved my life. They ignored my orders to run, and I'm forever grateful."

"Abarai ignoring orders? Yes, that's something I can relate to. He always chooses the right ones to ignore. Perhaps he is wise, in his own way."

"Wise is never a word I'd use to describe Renji, but I do know what you mean. He has his principles."

For a few moments it was silent as both contemplated their debt to their friend. He had saved them both, in a way.

"Do you think of your friends often?"

"Every day. There's this anger about their death that I can't let go of. I've always felt that there was something more I could have done."

"I too know such feelings. I'm sure you think that someone of my position has never known suffering, and perhaps my past does not compare to yours or Abarai's. After all, I've never so much as prepared a meal, let alone stolen food to survive. But I do know loss. Did you know I was once married?"

"I… had no idea. What happened?"

"I met a girl from Rukongai. Her name was Hisana, and she was the most beautiful creature I'd ever seen. I soon fell in love with her, and asked her to marry me. My family, of course, disapproved of my bringing a commoner into the noble household. Their attitude put such a strain on poor Hisana. It was hard enough for her to fit in anyway, even without the constant pressure. She was from Inuzuri, and when I brought her to the manor, she didn't know which way was up. She would get lost in the house, and my father would direct her to the servants' quarters. She tried to swallow it, but it all but broke her heart. All she wanted was for them to accept her. At our wedding ceremony, my aunt presented us with four bottles of sake. Hisana fell ill and died soon after. This is the fourth bottle from that set. Abarai had no idea of its significance."

Shuuhei stopped still. The sake in his mouth seemed to turn sour as feelings of guilt, anger and horror welled up in his stomach. To wish death on a new couple for something as petty as class was beyond his comprehension. And for him and Renji to have unthinkingly opened something of such significance… Shuuhei wished the ground would swallow him up, or that Captain Kuchiki would just kill him like he'd thought he might.

"I'm sorry. I should never have let Renji open that bottle. I didn't think."

"Why would you? There's nothing remarkable about a rich man with a fine bottle of sake. You probably thought I wouldn't miss it."

"I, of all people, should know not to make judgements."

"It's no matter. I've been meaning to open it for a long time. It's been constantly hanging over me, but I've never been able to bring myself to it. In a way, I'm grateful. Perhaps you've let me let go."

Kuchiki looked away then, sipping his drink slowly in contemplation. Shuuhei watched him, realising that the Kuchiki before him was a completely different man to who he'd thought. He'd always considered him to be a cold person who didn't care for others, something which had been confirmed when he'd supported the execution of his own sister. But this man, no matter his background, had felt the same things as everyone else, and had known the same suffering. Shuuhei felt an incredible urge to reach out and comfort him, but he was afraid of stepping over the line. Instead, he concentrated his reiatsu, pooling all the feelings of warmth and calm that he could and enveloping Kuchiki in them. Kuchiki closed his eyes and breathed out slowly, his expression relaxing.

"Thank you, Hisagi. You're skilled at reiatsu manipulation. I'm impressed. I'm glad you stayed."

"Why is it that you asked me to stay?"

"I felt something heavy in your reiatsu. You didn't seem yourself; I thought perhaps you could use the company."

Shuuhei was taken aback. Even after what he'd done, Kuchiki still wanted to make sure he was alright.

"You're surprised. Don't be; I'm not as cold as everyone believes. You're a good man, Hisagi, and good men should not have to drink alone."

Shuuhei wasn't sure if it was Kuchiki's words or the sake that made his body warm and his blood rush to his head, but in that moment all he wanted to do was wrap his arms and his reiatsu tightly around him and not let go until the hurt in his eyes was extinguished. Kuchiki was strong and graceful, a paragon of honour and nobility. He was elegant and mysterious and, Shuuhei noticed for the first time, beautiful. Not in the way that Matsumoto or Shihoin were, but something deeper and more intriguing. The soft skin, jet black hair, the way he spoke and carried himself, the taut muscles that could strike someone dead in an instant; when Shuuhei really looked, he was truly breath-taking.

Kuchiki returned to his meditative state, eyes shut with a soft smile adorning his features. The need to reach out and touch him was growing stronger as Shuuhei contemplated his attractiveness. He drank another two cups of sake whilst considering if it was worth risking his life for. It was that very sake, he supposed later, that managed to convince him that it was. Tentatively, he tightened his reiatsu around Kuchiki just a little bit, to see if he would notice, but he seemed not to. Shuuhei began to use his reiatsu to stroke Kuchiki's hair ever so gently. Kuchiki's reiatsu pulsed gently, but that was as much of a reaction as he gave. Gaining confidence, Shuuhei moved down, tracing energy lightly over Kuchiki's neck and jaw. It was not until he got below Kuchiki's collarbone that he opened his eyes, his smile fading.

"Hisagi, forgive me for saying this, but I believe you are being inappropriate. Please refrain."

Ordinarily, Shuuhei's judgement would have stopped him immediately (assuming it had even let him get that far), but for some reason. He was fascinated by this man; the feel of his skin and their reiatsu mingling together was intoxicating. Shuuhei pushed on, running over Kuchiki's chest and legs, dancing over the front of his hakama, pushing past his pretty lips –

"Hisagi, stop at once."

"What if I don't want to?"

The words were out of his mouth before Shuuhei had time to think. Without knowing what had come over him or what the hell he thought he was doing, he found himself gathering all the reiatsu he had and pinning Kuchiki down. He didn't have an idea of what he was going to do next, but it wouldn't have mattered, because Kuchiki immediately released the cap that he always kept on his reiatsu. Shuuhei was flung back, landing spread eagled on the floor. The impact had blown all the fabric off of his front, and suddenly he found himself being crushed under the weight of Kuchiki's power.

"What the-"

"The reason that Captain Soi Fon doesn't have fabric covering her shoulders is that it would simply be destroyed by her reiatsu. That is the difference between a Captain, and everyone else."

The reiatsu was on his chest, and he couldn't breathe. It was in his eyes, his ears, clamped around his neck, running down his throat. It was around him and in him. It was blinding him, and choking him, and _fucking_ him, and he couldn't see, or move, or cry for help. He didn't know if he wanted to scream, or run, or beg for more.

"It's a thousand years to early for the likes of you to play those sorts of games with me. You may be talented, but there is a power gap between us that you cannot breach."

Kuchiki's reiatsu gripped ever tighter, and pushed ever harder. Shuuhei was ashamed to realise that he was becoming erect. The second the pressure receded from his mouth he unwittingly let out a moan, as a feeling of warmth pooled in his stomach and groin. He couldn't lift his head to see what Kuchiki was doing. Their reiatsu surged and twisted together until Shuuhei couldn't tell what power was his anymore, or if he was being touched by just that, or flesh as well. His body began to shudder, his knees buckling and eyes spinning out of their sockets as white light covered his field of vision. He felt hot, cold, afraid, aroused, angry and ecstatic all at once, until eventually the invasion and stimulation of every one of his sense receded, and his heartbeat began to settle to a normal place. His legs shook, and his limbs felt like jelly. It was a good few minutes before he could sit up, discovering with embarrassment that he'd climaxed. A hot flush spread over his face. He looked over at Kuchiki, who was kneeling opposite him, drinking sake and look out of the window, and Shuuhei wondered if he'd been sitting like that the whole time.

"Go home, Hisagi. Get some rest, get sober, and go and train harder tomorrow. Oh, and make sure my office is clean before you leave."

With that, Kuchiki finished his cup, stood up, and walked out of the office, leaving a half naked Shuuhei lying on the floor exhausted, embarrassed, and so, so horny. Having not yet regained the powers of speech, Shuuhei decided to just get back on his own. He shakily pulled himself to his feet, and rooted around in Renji's desk for a spare pair of hakama, promising to himself that he'd wash and return them. He stumbled back to his barracks, and all but fell into bed, still twitching slightly. It wasn't until he laid there for some time that his breathing evened out and his mind relaxed enough for him to fall into a fitful sleep.


End file.
